Improvement in car-starters



UNITED S'pI'A'rEs PATENT r'rion.

WILLIAM HILDEBRAND, OE FORT WAYNE, INDIANA.

IMPRVEMENT IN CR-STARTER$.I

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 176,749, dated May 2, 1876; application filed September 11,1875.

. vices, whereby the momentum of the car, when the motion is arrested, is made to accumulateV a power sufficient to start the car, thus relieving the starting strain on the horses.

Figure 1 represents a sectional side elevav'tion of a car embodying. my improvement.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation-of' the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the bottom of a car, showing more fully the arrangement of parts. Fig. 4 is an' enlarged view of the working devices that are attached to oneof the axles of the car.` Fig. 5 is a'side elevation of Vthe rack,

piston-rod, and head. w Fig. 6 is a section-al view of the slide O and its connections with the rack-rod.

. Arepresents the bottom of the car, to which is secured the cylinder (J. The axle D passes through one end of the cylinder, as shown in Figs. l and 2. The cylinder (J is designed as a vacuum cylinder, and is provided with a head, E. (Shown in Fig. 1.) In this cylinder works the piston-head L, which is attached to the rack-rod G. (Shown more fully in Fig. 5.) This rack-rod G is provided with a rack, J, on one side at the top of the opening H, and also with a rack on the opposite side at the bottom of the opening H, the operation of which will be described hereafter. The opening H or space between the racks is. to allow the piston rack-rod to Work on each side` of the shaft or axle C' as the piston is drawn out or drawn back into the cylinder O. At one end of the 'rack piston-rod G is arranged a slide, O, which works transversely on the rod Gr. T he upper inside edge and the lower inside edge diagonally opposite to each other are provided with one or more cogs, so as to continue the cogs on the racks on each side alternately as fol-lows: When -the slide is in the position shown in Fig. 5 the rack J is extended one or two cogs, while the opposite rack (not shownin the drawings) is short one or two cogs. By elevating the slide O, then the top rack J will be short one or two cogs,

and the lower rack will be extended. The slide O is shown partially in section in Fig. 6, where it will be seen that there is a V-shaped partition or bar, p, in the center, and a V-shaped or pointed spring-catch, 19', inserted in a hole o in the end of the rack-rod G, all operated so as to hold the slide O up or down, according to which way the car is going, which will be descriloed hereafter. On the shaft 0/, near its center, are arranged two clutch-couplings, K2 and K3, which are keyed to the shaft by ifeather-keys, so as to allow la sliding motion.-V N ear the center of each of these cluteh-coup-- lings are grooves K4 K5. (Shown more fully in Fig. 4.) In these grooves the arms of the sliding clutch h are inserted, as shown in Fig.2.

This sliding clutch h is pivoted to the lever g at k, (shown in Fig. 1,) and the. lever g ex-- tends backward, and is also pivoted at a to ,the cylinder O, and to the rear end of the lev er g is also pivoted the cross-lever d, which has a sliding motion on the lever g at the pivot-joint, and is provided with' holes near each end, to receive one end of the crank-rods P P. These rods extend along under the car, and are supported by suitable boxes b b'. At each end of the car these rods turn up ata right angle, and extend a short dista'nce above the fender, and are held in this upright position by means of the loop or band P', which is arranged so as to allow of a side motion to the extended arm P. By moving the arm P' to one side it communicates a side motion to the slidinglever d by means of the short crank at the other end of the rod P, and forces it to one'side, and the lever d being pivoted to the lever g causes it to partially rotate on its pivot a, and imparts a side motion to the sliding clutch h. This clutchbein g connected with the clutch-couplings, forces one of them in gear with the pinions K or K1, which are both loose on the shaft G', and as the Wheels B B' are revolved by the motion of the car, the

pinion K or K1, which is iu gear withV the` The pinion not in gear with the clutch K2 01' K3 revolves loose on the shaft; but when the car has been stopped, as above described, then the crank-arm P is,reversed, in order to propel the car forward. This movement'of' the arm P revers'es the clutch-couplings, and,

end of the rack-rod Gr, as shown in Figslan'd' 5. This rod passes through the guide N, which is secured on ,the cylinder O, and the elliptic springs N 3 are then slipped on the 'rod N, and the last one secured from working off of the rod by means of a pin or nut on the end of the rod N; These springs can be used separate or together with the cylinder, in order to produce a reaction on the axle.

If the car is going in the direction of the arrow w, then the clutch K3 is brought into contact with the pinion K, and the pinion K1 and clutch K2 are disengaged until the car stops, when the crank-rod P is reversed, the clutch K3 is disengaged from the pinion K, and the cluch K2 is connected with the pinion K1. This causes the car to move forward; otherwise it will run backward. VVhen the car is run in the opposite direction, then the reverse of this operation is applied with the same results. The slide O on the end of the rack-rod G is always thrown out of gear on one side or the other whenever the car starts and the rack has been drawn far enough into the cylinder to allow the pinion K or K1 to strike the cogs, which then raises or lowers the slide according to which way the car is going. This arrangement always leaves one pinion loose on the axle G1, and the other in gear with the clutch, the one in gear turning with the clutch and axle, but is not in gear with the rack I. The opposite pinion does notl revolve with the axle, because it is not kcyed to the shaft, and is in gear with the opposite rack; but when the clutch-couplings are reversed, then the action of the pinions K K1 is reversed.

The. a-xle lon whichthe working devices of my improved starter (such as the pinions K K1, clutch-couplings K2 K3) operate is also furnished with boxes S S, to support them independent of the main boxing M of the car. This arrangement allows the working parts of the carstarter to always be in line with the axles. On the axles D and C1 are also arranged-the brakespoolfs R R1, which are se- Vcurely keyed thereto.

These spools have flanges on each side, so as to prevent the spring-hrakes X X from working off. These spring-brakesX and X are.1ined with leather or other substances to prevent wear on the springs. One end of the brake-springs X is secured to the projecting arms T T2, and extend over the spools R R1, and are secured at the other ends to the brake-lever e, which is pivoted to the cylinder O under the cross -lever d. At the extreme ends of the lever e are secured the brake chains or rods V V', which extend to each end of the car, ,and are attached to the brake-cranks Q Q, as shown.

When the brake is applied, the straps or 'springbrakes X X are brought into contact with the spools R R with sufficient friction to stop the car, or to hold the car from running backward after the starter has accumulated suflicient power.

To put the car in motion, reverse the rod P and let off the brake, when the car will start without the aid of the horses.

The clutch-couplings K2 K3 are each provided with a spring-pawl, Z, that engages with the pinions K K1, as shown.

What I claim as new, and Wish to secure by Letters Patent, is- 1 1. In combination with the rack-rod G, the slide O, provided With one or more cogs above and below on opposite sides, arranged to operate as'describe'd, and held either up ordown by means of the V-shaped bar p and pointed pawl p', substantially as and for the 'purpose set forth and described.

` 2. In combination with the cylinder O, the projecting arms T1 T2, arranged with the boxes S S, to support and keep in line the cylinder C, rack -rod G, and its connections with the axle O1, substantially as and for the purpose set forth and described.

3. The lever G, pivoted to the cylinder O at a, and to the sliding clutch h, as shown, and operated by the cross sliding lever d and crank-rod P, substantially as and for the purpose set forth and described.

In testimony whereofI have signed my name to this specification in the presencc of two subscribing witnesses.

Witnesses:

E. O. FRINK, S. 0. FRINK. 

